One in five young men in our jails is a Muslim

More than one in five young men in prison are Muslims, who claim to feel safer and more respected than other inmates, research shows.

They account for 22 per cent of prisoners in youth jails in England and Wales compared with 18 per cent Church of England and 17 per cent Catholic.

The inmates felt their religious beliefs were also more likely to be respected but black and other ethnic minorities felt less safe and likely to be victimised, the chief inspector of prisons found.

Some Muslim prisoners felt more victimised by staff, with more than two in five having been physically restrained while serving time, compared with about one in three non-Muslims.

The number of children and young people in custody fell by 14 per cent in 2011-2012, from 1,822 to 1,543.

However, there was a rise in the number of youth prisoners previously in care. Prison inspectors condemned the ‘depressingly high’ proportion of young offenders who spent time being looked after by local authorities.

Concerns were also raised about a surge in the number of those who felt unsafe in young offender institutions.

Campaigners called for the institutions to be overhauled. ‘Herding together high numbers of challenging and often vulnerable young men into large, bleak, under-staffed institutions inevitably leads to violence and self-harm,’ said the Prison Reform Trust’s Juliet Lyon.

‘Fewer young people in custody means fewer blighted lives and less reoffending.’